Year: 2018

[Review] Mamma Mia – SF9

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SF9 has made their retro return with their latest comeback single, Mamma Mia. This comeback also features their fourth mini-album, which shares the same name as the title track. We last saw them with their Latin-inspired O Sole Mio comeback in October last year.

SF9’s last few comebacks have impressed me. Unfortunately, Mamma Mia is disappointing for my taste and doesn’t follow this trend. While it isn’t necessarily a bad song, it is quite boring and doesn’t really keep me interested. There are a few aspects of the song that seem to contribute directly to this boredom feeling. The first is the instrumentation. There is literally nothing for me to rave about this retro instrumental. For the most part, I don’t think it has enough to be considered retro. Instead, it felt like a simple beat with a few added details (such as the guitars) to give it that retro vibe. They honestly could have gone with something retro (some electric guitars to make the chorus more memorable) and powerful, which would have been in line with their previous works. The main focus seems to be shifted towards the vocals and raps. And the vocals were okay at best but the raps were quite good. If only the song had the instrumentation to back up the raps and give hype to the song. The song wasn’t that catchy, falling right into a ‘standard’ predicament. The only part which I thought was a decent hook was the ‘Clap Clap Clap yo‘. But it seemed underused in the song. Overall, it was a weak song that just left me disappointed.

The music video also leaves me disappointed. There just seems to be a lot going on in this music video. Some of the members were involved in the fighting over stolen goods, keeping their car clean, window shopping in an excessive manner, hockey playing, dancing in the public and painting lips on a statue. While together they tried to go down the comedic route, these scenes do not go cohesively together. The only scene which I thought could have complimented the retro sounds of the song was at the start when they were standing on the portable moving stairs. Also, we need to sit down and talk about the mullet and dreadlocks. Even in history, the mullet should never have occurred. As for the dreadlocks, he just doesn’t rock it. Sorry, I had to say that but I had to get it off my chest.

[Updated] It was a fun performance to watch. The members looked like they were genuinely having fun on stage. It wasn’t that cringe-worthy and complicated as the music video. Though, I did think they underused the chairs during the performance, which could have made for a better performance.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 7/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 4.6/10 [Updated]

[Review] True Love – Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)

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Kim Sung Kyu has finally made his solo return to the stage with his first studio length album, 10 Stories. The title track featured on this album is True Love. His comeback was a little unexpected, with Infinite just recently wrapping up their promotions for Tell Me at the end of January and his teaser pictures just coming out of nowhere. This is his first comeback since his last mini-album and double title track promotions of The Answer and Kontrol.

To me, True Love is the midpoint that I would imagine if Kim Sung Kyu and Ed Sheeran joined forces to make a song. While the song’s sound and instrumental seems to lean more heavily towards Kim Sung Kyu’s side, there were a few moments throughout the song that felt like the song could have gone down that Ed Sheeran route. I like how calming the song feels during the verses. The build-up just before the chorus was nice but my favourite bit has to be the launch into the chorus. It is where the song comes together and it is the strongest point of the song which reminds me fondly of Kim Sung Kyu’s previous works. There is a slight catchy hook to the chorus, which I can see myself singing to in a few days time. His vocals are great but they don’t really shine as much in this song. Overall, the expectation (for me) is that Kim Sung Kyu would have a really good song as his title track and True Love seems to live up to that expectation.

The music video was shot in Hong Kong, which seems to be the number 1 destination to go to, for shooting a music video. A number of artists in the past year alone have shot their music video in Hong Kong. And I can see why. Despite it being featured so much last year, the sites of Hong Kong always look breathtaking and fresh. In the video, it seems like Sung Kyu is looking for his lover, whom he has been trying to track down from a letter he got from her. The ending was a little confusing, how he reads the letter. It makes me question whether he was looking for his ‘True Love‘ or whether he was looking for closure. The walking around on the streets is aesthetically pleasing and sets it up to be a good video (especially with all the great sites around him).

Song – 8/10
Musc Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10 

[Weekly Chart] 3rd Week of February 2018

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Welcome all back to another weekly edition of the KPOP Charts! We are now in the 3rd week of February and many releases came our way this week. We saw NCT U, Yang Yoseob, BoA, CLC, Weki Meki and VRomance make their respective comebacks this week.

Taking the top spot for the second week in a row is expectedly SEVENTEEN and their comeback single, Thanks. Sunmi’s Heroine also rosed back into the top 5, taking the second position. NCT U and BoA made their respective debuts on the chart with their latest releases, while Momoland rounds out the top 5.

Once again, if you want to see the rest of the charts, scroll down below.

18th Feb – 24th Feb 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Thanks SEVENTEEN (=)
2 Heroine Sunmi (▲ 4)
3 Boss NCT U (new)
4 One Shot Two Shot BoA (new)
5 Boom Boom Momoland (▼ 1)
6 To Heart Fromis_9 (▲ 2)
7 Timeless NCT U (▲ 4)
8 Bad Boy Red Velvet (▼ 3)
9 Shinin’ Kim Jonghyun (SHINee) (▲ 11)
10 Secret Garden Oh My Girl (▲ 21)
11 My Flower JBJ (▲ 3)
12 It’s U Golden Child (▲ 5)
13 NEGA DOLA BoA (▲ 6)
14 Where I Am Gone Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT) (new)
15 Baby It’s U Jung Sewoon (▼ 12)
16 Tell Me Infinite (▲ 24)
17 Black Dress CLC (new)
18 La La La Weki Meki (new)
19 Star VRomance (new)
20 Love Scenario iKON (▼ 18)
21 Paint Me Mamamoo (▲ 5)
22 Only Then Roy Kim (▲ 6)
23 The Boots Gugudan (▼ 11)
24 Gorgeous VAV (▼ 17)
25 Roller Coaster Kim Chungha (▼ 4)
26 Diamond Girl MXM (▲15)
27 Real Men The Eastlight (▲ 5)
28 Don’t Be Pretty 14U (▼ 6)
29 Grr Stray Kids (▼ 4)
30 Hot Potato N.Flying (▼ 12)

Songs leaving the charts this week and will not be appearing on the charts starting next week are:

  • Universe – EXO
  • Hold Me – Eric Nam

With March around the corner, it is going to get very interesting with some major comebacks already confirmed for next week and beyond. But until then, have another wonderful week!

[Album Review] Miracle (2nd Mini Album) – Golden Child

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I know this particular album review might be a little late but at least I didn’t hold onto it for an even longer period of time. Golden Child made their return at the end of January with their latest title track, It’s U, which featured on their second mini-album, Miracle (奇跡/기적). The album features 5 songs and one intro track, which I have omitted from this review.

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Miracle Album Cover

2..It’s U (너라고) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for It’s U. (7.7/10)

3. Lady – From their promotional tracks, you get a sense that Golden Child’s music centres around a youthful sound. Hence, this song took me by surprise. There is an epic sound to the song, which was quite unexpecting considering the soft start. It’s a heartfelt song, where their vocals do most of the conveying of the emotions. The vocals are amazing, though I thought for a moment I was listening to Infinite. The raps were also quite good. The best part of the song has to be when all the members start singing the second half of the chorus together. (9.5/10)

4. Crush – You are launched into a rock-themed song but the chorus seems to be more pop than rock. Despite this, I found that the chorus wasn’t that distinct to the verse. It took me a while to register that the chorus had already started the first couple of times I heard the song. The ‘Oh Crush‘ repetition was really addictive. The ending was also another abrupt one, which I am not much a fan of. Out of all the elements, I liked the rapping the most, which felt fitting for the rock instrumental. (8.5/10)

5. All Day (모든 날)– It’s time for the mandatory ballad on the album. The vocalists indeed shined the brightest in this song. Listening to the song, I can imagine a live performance where the audience is swaying along with their light sticks, creating a beautifully coloured sea for the members to see. The rappers also did a good job but my favourite bit has to be the harmonies at the end of the bridge, which made the already so good song even better. (8/10)

6. I’m Falling – Ending the album is a standard pop song. But it is a really good pop song. The instrumental was nice, with the EDM another unexpected turn featuring on this album. The pause and buildup in the pre-chorus was also another likeable section of the song. I feel like the raps outshined the vocals, as the rap section in the bridge was awesome. Great way to end the album! (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

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Miracle Teaser Image

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[Review] Black Dress – CLC

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Last year, CLC caused a storm with their Hobglobin comeback. Finally, a concept and song genre that got the girls some recognition.  This was later confirmed by CLC’s failed comeback, Where You Are?, which did not get anywhere near the same amount of recognition (the company also dropped the promotions after 2 weeks and focused on a more lively B-side track, Summer Kiss, which seemed to be a more popular track). Hence, it would only right for their company to select a song for their comeback that could rival or overtake Hobglobin.

Black Dress carries that burden. And I think they meet (and overshoot) the standard set by the group’s most notable track. The opener to the song is an incredible attention-grabbing introduction. It throws you into the deep-end of roughness for this track, which definitely sets you up for what is in store. The song also focuses more on this mature vibe, which CLC has been presenting us. The pre-chorus buildup was awesome, while the chorus takes you back to that attention-grabbing synth at the start of the song. I love the extremely minimalistic instrumental break just before the rapper does her thing (who sounds amazing this song). The rest of the members do a good job with their vocals. The best part of the entire song has to be the slight pause just before a very rough yet appealing exclamation of ‘Black Dress‘. Overall, I am totally digging this track and if you want something edgy like Hobglobin, check this track out!

And if you think the song is a step forward, the music video is going to give you a shock. I know we have seen some idols cut their hair in their music videos in the past. But for some unknown reason, the scene (timed perfectly with the pause at the end of the bridge) really does leave an impression on you. I also see how the pole dancing lessons that Eunbin recently revealed to the public fits into the music video. The video also touches on some dark themes, mainly the sharp scissors and its questionable position near the chest (seen more clearly in the teaser). In the context of the video, I think they represent transformation, which links back to the chopping of the hair. Not exactly sure but that is my guess. Overall, I like the music video quite a bit and thought it was a perfect fit with the music.

The performance is good but I think I wanted more intensity and something pushing the boundaries of the choreography. Don’t me wrong, after watching it a few times, I thought it was quite cool. But if they wanted to show something more unique, I feel like that added intensity could have made the performance even better to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10 
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Star – VROMANCE

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With two songs titled Star in just a span of two weeks, the night skies are just going to get brighter. VROMANCE is back with Part 2 of their Confession trilogy, Star. I have somehow missed Part 1 (Flower), which was released back mid-January. Unfortunately, I have decided to not do a full review for Part 1 (as there is no music video), so I am hoping for these songs to be on some future album release so I can review it there. But today’s focus is on Star.

If you follow me on Twitter (click the bird icon at the bottom of the page), you may have seen my tweet in regards to the song. In short, it said I was in awe and completely speechless to even begin this review. Everything about this song is beautiful. From the start, the soft guitar was an awesome opener but the sudden launch into the chorus just (metaphorically) punched me in the face. The “Beautiful ________, Beautiful _________” lyrics in the verses just leaves a deep impression on my mind. The harmonies during the chorus were just perfect. Vocals were amazing, which sounds like an understatement given what I have already said. But the good stuff with this song is towards the end when we get to the bridge. I like the echoing repetition of the ad-lib, which left me stunned. That very dramatic strum of the guitar, the epic feeling final chorus and that high note at the end that followed the bridge was particularly fascinating and definitely my pick for the highlights of the song.  I can continue listing what I like about this song but I think you get the idea of how much I love it.

I have to admit, I was low key expecting the members to pop up somewhere along the video. But I guess that would rob the video of its artistic nature. I am no dancer but from what I can see, the dancing in this video makes the video so much more beautiful. I like it how they didn’t keep it in one area but instead moved the setting along to various parts of the house (i.e. balcony, hallway, bedroom and dining room). It pairs perfectly with the song, which makes it so much better.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 10/10

[Review] La La La – Weki Meki

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Weki Meki has officially returned with their first comeback since their debut with I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend last year. This comeback features their second mini-album, Lucky and the title track, La La La.

To me, this new song is redemption from their disappointing debut track. La La La sounds so much better than I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend. But a common aspect between the two tracks is that the songs can be considered to be ‘in your face’. Their debut track was just obnoxious, while La La La seems to be more pleasing. The instrumental seems to fall under the standard KPOP umbrella. It just didn’t stick out to me but it was still good. Following the ‘in you face’ comment, the instrumental was definitely ‘loud’ as it dominates the entire song. However. the vocals were in the foreground of the song, as opposed to being hidden by the loud instrumental, which is a definite plus. I want to say the vocals and raps were good but I feel like they could have tweaked with some autotune to enhance the song. I am not a major fan of autotune as it can be overly used in songs but I think it would have definitely benefited this song. The chorus has potential to be catchy but it might take a few more listens for that to be a reality in my case, as it didn’t really stick the first time around.

Once again, the visuals for the comeback is amazing. It is one thing that Weki Meki nailed before and they nailed it once again. The girl crush concept really suits them. I am also a major fan of the sets for this music video. It looks extremely cool, particularly the one with the big flashing W in the background. That one scene where they walk towards the camera in one long line really blew my mind as if they were doing the walk on a catwalk.

Watching their dance performance, I really liked how in sync they were. I particularly like the pre-chorus routine they had, which I thought was a lot better than the chorus. I also like the body rolls just before the final chorus (2:10 ish of music video).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Only Then – Roy Kim

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Roy Kim made his return to the music scene with a new single, Only Then. It was released last week during the Lunar New Year week, which is why I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it yet. We last saw Roy Kim on stage last year with his comeback consisting of Egoist and Suddenly.

Roy Kim is known for his popular singles (such as Bom Bom Bom) that are fitting for the Spring season. Only Then is another ballad, that is best suited for the colder climate of Winter. The great thing about this track is that Roy Kim uses his vocals to add warmth to the song, which is a great charm about this track. I like how his vocals are soft throughout the song but he doesn’t give the song the kick it needs until he gets into the midst of the final chorus. This delay kick is quite interesting and you have to listen to the entire track to completely appreciate the peak of the song. The instrumental for this ballad doesn’t really do much besides giving the song its background that it needs. However, that electric guitar riff during the bridge was awesome. Ticking another box for good ballads (for me) is the fact the song gets you swaying along.

The one thing the video manages to capsulate very well is the concept of loneliness. The song is about feelings regarding a relationship that just isn’t working out. From what I am reading, long distance relationship is the main focus for the song, as Roy Kim (who tends to be in the States during his non-active periods) writes about his feelings in regards to his fans in South Korea (this piece of information was taken from Soompi). I think the video does a good job at it, with the final scene looking like he is making that final move to end the relationship. The colour palette is perfect for such a heartbreaking atmosphere. It is dry in terms of content but it seems when in context, the video makes a lot of sense.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] One Shot, Two Shot – BoA

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BoA made her debut way back in the year 2000. Since then, she has released a total of 8 Korean full-length album. 18 years on, however, marks BoA’s return with her very first mini-album, which shares the same title of  One Shot, Two Shot as the title track. It is definitely remarkable to think that this is her very first mini-album. The mini-album also features Camo (an SM Station track from last year) and this year’s earlier release, NEGA DOLA.

One Shot, Two Shot is another great song to add to BoA’s portfolio in recent times. We saw a snippet of EDM in her portfolio when BoA released Camo last year and I was immediately a fan. One Shot, Two Shot follows the same trend, taking on deep house. The verses seem so-so but the good stuff happens during the chorus. It becomes more lively and upbeat, which is something you might know I prefer. I love the instrumental during the chorus, as well, for its seductive and sexy nature. The ‘One Shot Two Shot‘ repetition during the second half of the chorus was quite addictive. Her vocals shined throughout the vocals, almost going husky in some parts. The bridge of the track was nice but I feel like the launch back into the final chorus could have been more energetic, in my opinion. But overall, definitely another song to check out.

The music video was made up of two sections. Choreography and the train station scene. A little confused about what was happening in the video. Mainly from what I can make out, BoA is an assassin (dressed up in leather in an area where there is no one else does give off that vibe). She dances with her victims, which I guess is a luring method (as she successfully does it to the guy). After a few minutes of interpretive dancing (I think), she shoots him dead. But he later wakes up (which is confusing). But the storyline is definitely interesting. I like the choreography shots as well, particularly the close-ups of BoA with the backup dancers in the background. The rest of the dance shots were simple but definitely elegant.

I am loving the dance that we can see in the music video. I love how sharp the first batch of moves are. The start of the chorus was awesome and the part at 3:16 of the music video where male dancers line up and copy her moves one-by-one as she moves along the line.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Review] Song For You – 100%

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Time for another Japanese review. There were a number of Japanese releases since January which I have yet to have a closer look at. 100% has primarily focused their attention on The Unit (Special Review Coming Soon) for the last few months, so it is nice to see the entire group return as one for a new song, Song For You. It was officially released on Valentine’s Day and marks the group’s first return since their Japanese debut and comeback. 

Song For You stands out for its freshness as a song. Despite the song starting off and is filled with synths throughout, I honestly thought the song was taking something like a ballad route (but with some dance twist to it). And I liked that. The first verse just felt calming and relaxing, which is definitely something I enjoyed. The chorus is when the song gains some momentum with its EDM-centred instrumental. But that relaxing feel remains. It isn’t over the top nor obnoxious, just at the right level. Their vocals definitely go well with this style, particularly Rockhyun’s. The rapping is also quite nice but I wanted more of it. I am not a major fan of the sudden stop in the song, which acts as a transition between the chorus and bridge. It cuts the flow of the song for me. But despite that one detail, the entire track is definitely something I enjoy.

The music video made them look nice. It was fitting for the relaxing nature of the song but sadly the video didn’t do the song justice. The choreography scenes were the highlights and everything else just felt too airy for me. Maybe the video would benefit if the guys were confessing their love to their lover. Maybe not that cliche but still something that would at least make me wonder ‘what’s going on’.

The choreography is also quite nice. Once again, extremely fitting for the song. The song doesn’t ask for something mindblowing or complex. So I like it for that it stuck to the boundaries of the song. There isn’t much you can do with this style but they did well with it.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

 

[Review] Where I Am Gone – Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT)

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Yang Yoseob has finally dropped his first solo comeback since his solo debut back in 2012. Last week, the main vocalist of HIGHLIGHT gave us a small snippet into this latest release with Star. One week later and he has dropped the entire mini-album (White), along with the title track Where I Am Gone.

Once again, Yoseob starts off the song with the traditional ballad route. His first few lines of the song were quite heartbreaking and putting emotions into this vocals is what we know Yoseob for. The song develops more into a pop song once it reaches the chorus and I feel like this is the strongest moment of the song. It was mildly disappointing at first because there wasn’t anything special with the first half of the chorus. The second half, once the autotuned vocals kick in, was definitely more interesting and this gave the song a rougher effect, which contrasted nicely with the rest of the song. It was also quite catchy. Yoseob’s vocals do stand out in this song. It may be a little too plain of the song for us to have a full grasp of his vocal abilities but it enough to prove his status, particularly the bridge and the final chorus. The main issue with this song would have to be its plainness. Yes, it has its moments but you cannot just forget about how incredibly plain the song is. I have a feeling that within a few more listens, I would get bored of it.

I am also on the fence in regards to the video. It is definitely fitting for the song and there were some moments which I did enjoy. It just had a few aspects that should have been more thought out. Let’s start off with the car scene. I personally like the direction but the car seats it used was a little too futuristic for my taste. Maybe one of those olden day cars or something that looked a little more traditional would have worked well with that scene. Also, there is no driver, which is a little concerning. But regarding what I did enjoy, I liked the choreography scenes, particularly those where we only saw the silhouette of the dancers and how Yoseob was the main focus (as he should be) during these scenes.

I did like the solo moment he had with the female backup dancer. Hopefully, that made it into the choreography. But the rest of the performance (judging from the music video only) looked really awkward. He looked stiff and uncomfortable throughout the chorus and this didn’t really relay well back to me when I watched the video. Hopefully, the performance is better.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

 

[Review] Boss – NCT U

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NCT has big plans for 2018, with promises for comebacks for all three units. NCT U is the first unit to make their grand return. This is their first comeback for the unit after their debut in 2016 (they were notably absent from stage in 2017). NCT U’s return also features 3 new additions including NCT 127 member Winwin and new NCT members Jungwoo and Lucas.

I wasn’t much of a fan of NCT U’s previous works. But hearing Boss, I find this track quite good. The entire song has a very minimalistic feel to it. It doesn’t have much going on in terms of content-wise. But quality wise, it is quite powerful. The song opens with that really addictive thumping beat which definitely grabs your attention. This thumping is played continuously throughout the song and despite it being repeated, you don’t get tired of it. The vocals and rapping add to the song, building it up from the bare foundations. The vocals added some flair, while the rapping added some intensity to the song, which is why I think the song is so good. The chorus has the rap-speaking technique, almost like a chant. It doesn’t feel like the hook of the song but it works well as the chorus. My favourite part of the entire track is the overlapping of the raps by Taeyong and Mark for the bridge of the song. To sum up, Boss is an aesthetically pleasing song to listen to (and my new favourite from the subunit). 

And this has to be NCT’s most aesthetically pleasing music video to date. There is something about the visuals in this video that yells out badass. You can tell that there was a lot of intensity from the very start, which gives it a promising start. I like the cinematography quite a bit, which definitely adds the aesthetic to the video. The video does seem to compliment that minimalistic vibe that was coming from the song, as the video doesn’t have much going on. But in many ways, it is still a really good video to watch.

If you want power, edgy and intensity in just one stage performance, I have the perfect one for you. Boss embosses all of that and any other anger associated word that can describe the choreography in a good way. I particularly like the dance at the end of the song (where Taeyong looks the angriest at 3:06).

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

 

[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of Feburary 2018

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Apologies for the absent over the weekend. I only intended to be absent for the two days but due to multiple family events and the Lunar New Year, I had no time to focus on the site.

But now I am back with this week’s edition of the Weekly Charts. I personally hope you all had a great week, particularly with Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year.

Seventeen is no stranger to the top of the charts with their title track, Thanks, taking this week’s top spot. Taking over the second position for their second time during their run on charts is the digital song reigning over the charts in South Korea. I am referring to iKON’s Love Scenario. Last week’s number 1 song, Baby It’s U (by Jung Sewoon) dropped down to the third position. Momoland and Red Velvet finish off the top 5 for this week.

And that is only the top 5. For the rest of the chart, scroll down below.

11th Feb – 17th Feb 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Thanks SEVENTEEN (▲ 2)
2 Love Scenario iKON (▲ 13)
3 Baby It’s U Jung Sewoon (▼ 2)
4 Boom Boom Momoland (▲ 6)
5 Bad Boy Red Velvet (▲ 11)
6 Heroine Sunmi (▲ 2)
7 Gorgeous VAV (new)
8 To Heart Fromis_9 (▼ 1)
9 Wolf Baby TRCNG (▲ 19)
10 Like Paradise Kriesha Chu (▲ 28)
11 Timeless NCT U (▲ 29)
12 The Boots Gugudan (▲ 7)
13 Don’t Leave Block B (▲ 17)
14 My Flower JBJ (=)
15 Star Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT) (new)
16 Quit Jang Wooyoung (2PM) (▲ 16)
17 It’s U Golden Child (▼ 12)
18 Hot Potato N.Flying (▼ 1)
19 NEGA DOLA BoA (▼ 8)
20 Shinin’ Kim Jonghyun (SHINee) (▼ 14)
21 Roller Coaster Kim Chungha (▼ 19)
22 Don’t Be Pretty 14U (new)
23 Spotlight VAV (▼ 19)
24 Full Moon Dream Catcher (▲ 7)
25 Grr Stray Kids (▼ 4)
26 Paint Me Mamamoo (▼ 17)
27 Lower Amber & Luna (F(x)) (▲ 14)
28 Only Then Roy Kim (new)
29 Can I See You Again Miryo (Brown Eyed Girls) (new)
30 Days Without You Davichi (▼ 1)

We have only one song leaving the chart this week (and will not appear on the charts starting next week).

  • Joy – NCT Dream

And we will return to our normal schedule of Weekly Charts on Sunday as previous weeks. Until then, I hope you all have another amazing week!

[Review] If We Can Meet Again – DAY6

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2017 was one busy year for DAY6, who successfully released new songs every single month and 2 full-length albums in the past year alone. With the new year already in full swing, DAY6 is starting off 2018 with their Japanese debut and latest track, If We Can Meet Again.

If We Can Meet Again brings us back to the I Wait and How Can I Say releases. It isn’t necessarily your heavy rock track that you would put on to drown out society. But rather it combines that ballad side DAY6 has demonstrated us with their more recent releases, just combining it with that rock element. I actually like this rock side more, mainly because it satisfies this rock craving feeling that I have from time to time. Their ballad side is still quite good and should be greatly appreciated still. Anyway, back to the song. It maintains momentum and feels quite consistent. While I have suggested in the past that too much consistency might be a track’s downfall, this track does feature a few details here and there that does supposedly change it up to keep it interesting. The bridge adds a touch of EDM to the song, which definitely gives the song that intriguing factor. There were slight tempo changes throughout the song but nothing too major as we tend to see in some Korean releases. Per usual, DAY6’s vocals and raps were pretty good. My only one major request for this song would be to have the band go that extra mile with the rock instrumental. I feel like the track can be lifted to a whole new level if they went that extra mile.

I feel like that possible ‘extra mile’ in the song would have also complimented this video. The song (as we are presented with) does match the music video. But I felt like a stronger rock sound would have worked well with the wind blast and shaky camera work during the chorus. I like those elements and also the visual effects in the video, such as the train just going at them at full speed. But as I said, the song currently still works well with the video. The ending was a tad cheesy with some of the members flying backwards and the slow motion not really matching well with the intensity coming from the song. But still, a decent video to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Gorgeous – VAV

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Somehow I completely missed this vital piece of information but VAV was to make their comeback with two title tracks. We have already seen Spotlight, which was released on the 28th of January. 13 days later, the group has revealed their second music video for Gorgeous, another track on their Spotlight mini-album.

Gorgeous features a funky instrumental which mashes both retro and EDM together. While this combination has been done for, I don’t think I have heard any songs of the two being so balanced. The EDM provides the dance atmosphere to the song but also adds small details to the song to prevent it from getting too boring or repetitive. It is an extremely bright and vibrant song, energy just endless coming from the song. Vocals and raps were perfect. Not only were they crystal clear throughout the entire track but they did a good job with complimenting the fun side of the track. The song was quite catchy and addictive. All of this earns big ticks in my book. I particularly like the bridge of the track, which definitely hyped the song up and definitely grabbed my attention. The ‘Woo-Hoo‘ post-chorus section was replaying in my head every time the song ended, which made me go back for more. Overall, Gorgeous was one really good song to listen to.

The music video isn’t that fancy but they had really good camera work throughout the whole thing. Most of the video was shot in a warehouse and in front of some large garage. But how the cameras focused on the members and zoomed around felt very unique and cool. I particularly like the coloured smoke in the background for the final chorus, which gave the video an extra cool point. I thought the video would have become too repetitive as I realized the video was just choreography but that was not the case at all.

The choreography was quite great. While it does look complicated, it has a fun element which you can see on the member’s faces, which is definitely fitting for the music. I like the choreography for the bridge the most, as it is timed with the music and that looks amazing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Album Review] Director’s Cut (Special Album) – SEVENTEEN

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SEVENTEEN made their return last week with Director’s Cut and the new title track, Thanks. And as you may know, I am a big fan of SEVENTEEN’s work, so I had to review their latest release. While it can be seen as a repackaged album for Teen, Age, Director’s Cut is marketed as a special album instead. It features 4 new songs, on top of the 13 songs from Teen, Age.

Per usual, I will only be reviewing the 4 new tracks on the album. Only they will contribute to the overall album rating. If you want to read my review for tracks 5 – 17, they can all be found on the Teen, Age album review post, which you can access by clicking here.

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Director’s Cut Album Cover

1..Thinkin’ About You – The album opens up with your standard pop song for the most part. There were some good synths, particularly in the final chorus, which did grab my attention. There was a nice rhythm and the post-chorus of the song was quite catchy. I did like the raps in this song over the vocals. The song just wasn’t mind-blowing but rather decent to listen to from time to time. (7/10)

2. Thanks (고맙다) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Thanks. (9.5/10)

3. Run To You (지금 널 찾아가고 있어) – Besides the title track, Run To You is my absolute favourite. The track has a rock-based album which you know that Seventeen would nail on stage with an equally rocking performance. I like the slight pause they include just before the chorus for the raps (which are amazing). The only let down would be the vocals, which seemed to force the song to fluctuate its intensity, which cuts the flow of the song. It was good for contrast though. (9/10) 

4. Falling For U (Jeonghan & Joshua) – For the two members of the Vocal Unit who don’t really get much recognition for their vocals (compared to the other 3 members), it is pretty nice to hear them shine in their own collaborative track. The jazzy instrumental, the singing and rapping. Everything about this track was really cool. I also enjoyed the ‘Falling For U‘ repetition, which I would consider as the highlight of the track. (8/10) 

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

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Director’s Cut Teaser Image

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